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T- (green) and G-virus (purple) samples from Resident Evil
2.

One of the major plot elements of the Resident Evil
series is the outbreak of
various viruses. These viruses
are the creations of the fictional Umbrella Corporation and its
scientists, which are attempting to use them to create Bio-Organic
Weapons (BOWs).

Contents

Origin

According to the series timeline, Umbrella Corporation founders
Ozwell E. Spencer, Dr. Edward Ashford, and Dr. James
Marcus began looking into viral mutation sometime in the middle
of the twentieth century with the intent on finding a way to create
the perfect biological weapon. This would involve finding or
creating a viral agent that could not only be controlled, but could
be used to create new bio-weapons by infecting a host organism and
mutating it into a powerful creature that could act as a soldier
and follow orders, as well as spread the virus that created it into
enemy territory. In 1967, the three men succeeded with the
discovery of the Progenitor virus within a rare West African
flower, and from this came the birth of the Umbrella Corporation.
As revealed in Resident Evil 5, another major aim of their
research was to prematurely induce the next stage of human
evolution.

Progenitor
virus

The Progenitor virus, also known as the Founder
or Mother virus, is the first of the mutagenic viruses, and the
basis for all of the ones that followed.

According to the series timeline, it was discovered on December
4, 1967, by Dr. Edward Ashford, Dr. James Marcus, and Lord Ozwell
E. Spencer, within a flower found only in the ruins of the Ndipaya
civilization. Though Ashford wanted to use the virus' regenerative
abilities to help the handicapped, Spencer wanted to use it for the
bio-weapons projects, when Marcus only wanted to work on his
research, after Ashford's death in 1968, they were able to begin
their desired research. The only known survivor of an experiment
involving Progenitor is Lisa Trevor, who bonded with the virus in a
way that baffled everyone involved with the project.

It produces rapid and uncontrollable mutation in a host's
genetic code, but the mutations were not coordinated enough to
produce effective BOWs. In hosts with a genetic structure less
complex than humans, mutations are less pronounced, and usually
restricted to increases in size and aggression. In order to enhance
the virus's mutagenic properties, Umbrella created a variant of it
through synthesizing it with the Ebola virus, but this strain retained Ebola's photosensitivity.

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T-Veronica
virus

The T-Veronica virus is the main virus used in
Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and is responsible for the
mutation of several enemies. There is also a variant strain of the
virus named T-Alexia that is a diluted form of the virus created
during its period of cryogenesis in its main host, Alexia
Ashford.

According to the series timeline, the T-Veronica virus was
created by Alexia Ashford through synthesis of the Progenitor virus
and the gene of a queen
ant that contained an "ancient virus". She administered it to
her father, but because the infection was not controlled, he became
unstable and mindless. This led her to discover that the mutations
could be controlled if slowly absorbed during cryogenesis.

Like the Progenitor and T- viruses, the T-Veronica virus causes
rapid mutation, but the infection can be controlled and
intelligence can be retained if the virus is absorbed over a long
period of time. Alexia Ashford achieved this by remaining in a
cryogenic sleep for fifteen years while the virus merged with her
at a cellular level. Among the mutations to Alexia caused by the
virus were sleeplessness, combustible blood and vomit, multiple
tentacular muscles, and the ability to exert control over the hive
mind of the ants the virus was extracted from.

Though the T-Veronica virus is a useful tool for transhumanism
purposes, it is useless as a bio-weapon, as its infection rate is
low and it can only be transferred through direct injection.
Because she is able to mentally control any organism infected with
T-Veronica, Alexia, rather than use the virus as a weapon, planned
to use her infected ants to spread the virus around the world by
biting and injecting humans and animals with the virus, giving her
control of every creature on earth.

T-virus

The Tyrant virus, or T-virus,
is the main virus used by Umbrella, and is responsible for the
creation of most of their BOWs.

According to reports in the game, Dr. James Marcus succeeded in
creating the tyrant virus at the Arklay Management Training
Facility on September 19, 1978[1] through
synthesis of the Progenitor virus and leech DNA. Through this synthesis, the
photosensitivity of the early Progenitor strain was replaced with
pyrosensitivity, a property that can be seen in most of the series'
enemies.

The Tyrant virus allegedly operates similarly to most other RNA
viruses,[2] but
also has the abilities to reanimate dead tissue, to substantially
mutate its host, and to infect nearly any tissue in any type of
host. It animates dead tissue by replacing mitochondria in infected
cells, thereby providing it with a source of energy to fuel viral
creation. It then spreads, eventually reanimating tissue
responsible for motor and lower brain functions. By specifically
animating certain tissues, most of the body's usual processes, such
as heart muscle contraction, are made redundant. However, this
process has the drawback of severe necrosis in the host, and produces the
distinctive rotted appearance of most BOWs. The mutations are
produced when the virus incorporates itself into the host's genetic
code and considerably alters it. Creatures with genetic structures
different than humans generally show less severe mutations, and
usually only increase in size.

Because much of the hosts' regulatory systems and tissues would
already be destroyed and rendered non-functional, it can be
surmised that the patterns of aggression, hunger and rage could be
from the virus' natural need to infect as much organic matter as
possible to continue proliferation. As it is always easier to
transmit infections via open wounds and body fluids, this could
explain the need for hosts to exhibit aggressive tendencies.
Alternatively, should a hosts' brain still be functioning, viral
infection and damage to the frontal lobes could account for
increased aggression, and an imbalance of hormone regulatory
signals that normally control the signs of hunger could result in
their tendencies to attack by biting their victims.

'Daylight' is the only T-virus vaccine, but must be taken before mutation. The
film series presents a preventative treatment known simply as the
'anti-virus' (which should technically be an 'anti-retroviral'),
which must be taken within several hours after the initial
infection due to the high rate of mutation. In Resident
Evil, it is revealed that if the anti-virus is taken too late,
the T-virus will cause it to be rejected. Umbrella also attempted
to develop several other vaccines; T-vaccine was created by
WilPharma, but an employee was selling it, as well as T- and
G-virus samples, on the black market to bio-terrorists. 'AT1521'
was Umbrella's first official attempt at a vaccine, but the
original sample was destroyed. There was also an unnamed vaccine
being developed under the Raccoon General Hospital in Resident
Evil 3 that was used to save Jill Valentine.

NE-T
virus

The NE-T virus is a variant of the t-virus, but
was designed specifically for the Tyrant Project.

According to the series timeline, Umbrella required BOWs that
were not only stronger, but could understand and complete missions,
and due to the nature of the t-virus, all of its BOWs were unable
to do so. The project was divided between an American team, led by
Birkin, which would work on increasing the BOWs' strength and
ability to detect organisms, and a European team that would work on
increasing their intelligence. The two teams traded theories and
ideas that included the first experiments in directly operating on
a subject's brain. The American team succeeded in creating the NE-T
virus, along with the T-002, which could follow simple orders such
as "Restrain" and "Attack", though its intelligence was
insufficient for field operations.

In response to reports of the T-002's
failure, Umbrella renamed the European team's project with the
title "Goddess of Vengeance", or "Nemesis", and gave it the new goal
of eliminating all anti-Umbrella elements; specifically STARS. The
European team made a breakthrough with the creation of the NE-α, an
organism created from the NE-T virus that affected the host's
brain. Further experiments with this strain led to the creation of
the T-103,
also known as "Mr. X".

T-Cameron
virus

The T-Cameron virus is a hypothetical name for Dr. Cameron's "T"
strain, appearing in Biohazard 4D Executor. It was created when
Cameron injected herself with an experimental treatment, to stop
the T-virus from spreading when she was infected. However the serum
mutated her body, giving her the capabilities of massive
shapeshifting. While her body was killed, another unforeseen side
effect of the virus took place when her body was eaten by insects,
her consciousness apparently had been encoded within her cells.
Given this, she had become effectively immortal, as long as she had
a viable host to transfer any source of her corrupt DNA to remake
it into her next body. She used these powers to leap from a
cockroach that had consumed trace cells from her corpse to a nearby
rat, to a crow outside and from there to a member of the UBCS unit
sent to retrieve her investigation. While this last body was
destroyed, she had a "backup", which eventually was absorbed by
another member of the same unit, allowing her to escape Raccoon
City.

T-JCCC203

T-JCCC203 was an experimental T-variant mutagen. It was
administered to 63 year old Doug Frost in the abandoned hospital
during its Drugs, Inc. ownership. Doug's cancer was destroyed, but
the T-virus killed him hours later.

The same chemical was administered to 35 year old Dorothy
Lester, whose health came back to her to the point she no longer
needed a respirator. However the side effect was an increased
metabolism, ultimately leading to T-virus infection and death after
she killed an investigator perusing into the Abandoned Hospital's
affairs.

G-virus

The "G-virus", is the central plot point of Resident Evil
2. It is a highly advanced strain of the Progenitor virus
with continuous mutagenic properties, but the only known successful
hosts of the G-virus are Dr. William Birkin, his daughter Sherry, and Curtis Miller.

According to the series timeline, when Dr. William Birkin's test subject Lisa
Trevor displayed unexpected resistance to the experimental NE-α, he discovered that the cause was her
infection with a primitive form of what he named the G-virus.
Later, shortly before the events of Resident Evil 4, HUNK and Ada Wong procured samples of
the virus for Umbrella and Albert Wesker,
respectively.

The G-virus is only transmitted through implantation or
ingestion, rather than physical contact. It can only be fully
accepted by hosts with a suitable genetic makeup, such as a blood
relative, but can partially infect others by implantation of
"G-embryos", producing severe mutations that culminate in the death
of the host and the release of additional G-embryos. In general,
the G-virus greatly accelerates cellular replication and
pluripotentiation, at the cost of higher brain function. This
causes the host to exhibit feral behavior, loss of moral reasoning,
memory, and other higher drives, leaving only the urges for
self-preservation and reproduction. The virus exhibits its symptoms
within seconds, inducing extremely volatile mutations; a third eye
is a typical outcome. The mutations accelerate when the host is
wounded; this phenomenon caused William Birkin to suffer five
increasingly gruesome mutations before expiring.

If the host is compatible, the embryo begins to pupate and
assimilate the host's body, turning them into a mutant of immense
strength. These hosts, called "G-mutants", create their offspring
by orally implanting small, parasitic G-embryos into a living host
through the palm of their hand. If the host is incompatible, the
G-embryo will rapidly grow inside the host's body, and will burst
from their chest in a matter of minutes. It will then quickly
develop into an adult "G-creature" and search for another host.
G-creatures periodically emit more G-embryos.

The G-virus can be cured by DEVIL, an experimental treatment.
However, the treatment is only effective during the initial stages
of an impregnation-induced infection, before the embryos gestate.
In the case of Sherry Birkin, DEVIL did not destroy the cells
infected with the G-virus; it merely halted their spread, leaving
her as a virus carrier.

Other
viruses

Wesker
virus

Some time before the events of the first Resident Evil,
Dr. William Birkin created a variant of the Progenitor virus from
the "mutation stocks" and gave it to Wesker to use in faking his
own death.[3]
As an added bonus, the virus gave Wesker superhuman strength and
speed, which he would use against Chris Redfield in both
Resident Evil Code: Veronica and Resident Evil
5.[4]

The virus requires an incubation of at least five minutes prior
to allow revival, though 10% of hosts fail to revive. However, 20%
revive normally, and 70% actually revive with beneficial mutations
to the muscular and circulatory systems.[3]
However, the variant that Wesker used was unstable, and he had to
continuously inject himself with a 'PG67A/W serum
derived from the Progenitor virus in order to keep his original
infection in check.

The virus accelerates the host's metabolism, giving it
heightened strength, speed, and regenerative abilities. Unlike the
other viruses featured in the series, it is not a severely
mutagenic virus, and its effects are limited to muscle tissue and
lower organs, leaving the nervous system untouched. As a
prerequisite to increasing the host's speed, the virus also affects
ocular and sensory tissue, allowing the host to view and process
visual information at a speed allegedly equatable to raptors. This
modification of the eyes is the only visible effect of the virus on
its host, apparent only as a reddening of the irises, presumably
from increased blood flow.

tG virus

The tG virus is a fusion of the t- and
G-viruses. It imbues its carriers with qualities of both strains,
as well as odd electrical properties. As demonstrated by Morpheus
Duvall, it causes instant mutations when injected into a human
host.

Progenitor
30

The Progenitor 30 is an ancillary chemical
developed from the base Progenitor virus found in the Progenitor
flower. It was made in order to create an obedient soldier with
increased physical performance. After injection, the virus makes
the host more controllable, doing whatever it is ordered to do
without question, but the person is still conscious. However the
virus did not last in the body for long, so for a continuous
effect, an apparatus that kept the virus inside the body was
needed. The virus was developed by Tricel's African branch to sell
on the black market along with Las Plagas, to fund the Uroboros
Project.

Uroboros
virus

The Uroboros virus possesses the ability to
mutate specific hosts. If the host has "'superior' DNA", the virus
will fuse with the host and endow various beneficial mutations. An
incompatible host will instead begin to ooze an ink-like fluid, and
countless leech-like creatures will begin growing within the host,
absorbing nearby tissue and using it to birth even more of these
creatures. These leeches will bind to the victim's body, as well as
to other leeches and corpses, eventually creating a huge, monstrous
"Leech-Man". The agent was created from the NE-T virus that had
grown and developed inside Jill Valentine whom Albert Wesker
captured after a fight between him, her, and Chris Redfield at
Spencer's Estate. The NE-T virus was not fully cured from the
vaccination that Carlos had given Jill in Raccoon City because the
vaccination was still in development. It had merely stopped the
virus from killing her, but after all that time it had mutated and
developed into an entirely new virus which Wesker documents in one
of the files located in Resident Evil 5.

Notes and
References

^
September 19th: At last...I've discovered a way to build
a new virus type with Progenitor as a base. Mixing it with leech
DNA was the breakthrough I needed... I call this new virus t, for
"tyrant".

^Resident Evil 5 Characters -
Wesker: "Wesker encountered Chris Redfield again at an
underground laboratory in Antarctica, but the superhuman abilities
Wesker had gained from exposure to the T-virus meant Chris could
barely hold his own in the fight."